Sermon Tone Analysis

Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

YEHOVAH's Shekinah Glory

Most people have little understanding of what the Shekinah Glory of YEHOVAH God is, let alone realize the prophetic significance of this manifestation of God.

The Jewish rabbis coined this extra-biblical expression, and it is form of a Hebrew word that literally means "he caused to dwell" -- signifying that it was a divine visitation of the presence or dwelling of YEHOVAH God on this earth.

In order to fully understand the prophetic passages in the book of Revelation, we need to thoroughly grasp the concept of the physical manifestations of our Creator God.

by John D. Keyser

In , the phrase "glory of God" in The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures is rendered "God's SH'KHINAH" in the Jewish New Testament -- notice!

"I saw no temple in the city, for ADONAI [YEHOVAH], God of heaven's armies, is its Temple, as is the Lamb [Christ].

The city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, because GOD'S SH'KHINAH gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."

This is very important.

The word "Shekinah" (Sh'khinah) was coined from verbal cognates (related words) in the Bible which describe the "presence" of YEHOVAH God in a certain locality.

The verbal cognates are used extensively to describe the "Shekinah" appearances.

The word "Shekinah" itself is not found in the Biblical texts, but the concept clearly is.

The word most certainly is derived from "shakan," and whoever first used the word "Shekinah" coined it as a substantive (noun form) from the verbal forms used to describe the "abiding, dwelling, or habitation" of the physical manifestations of YEHOVAH God described in , and -- and various other places where "shakan" is used.

Note that the word is also used to describe the mystical "Shekinah" presence in the Tabernacle and later in the first and second Temples.

The word "mishkan," (mshkn), a derivation of "shakan" (shkn), is often translated "tabernacle."

The Hebrew for tabernacle is more often simply "ohel," 'ohel, or tent.

"Mishkan" means "dwelling place" -- that is, THE "DWELLING PLACE" OF "HIM WHO DWELLS" OR "SHEKINAH."

The Hebrew verb "shakan" (shkn) simply means to take up residence for a long period of time in a neighborhood.

The distinction between this word and "yashav" -- which is also translated "dwell" -- is as follows: You can use the word "yashav" to mean an individual doing the dwelling WITHOUT reference to others or to duration, while "shakan" means a PROTRACTED DWELLING IN THE MIDST OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

The primary meaning is to reside and continue as a member of the community.

Of course, when it refers to YEHOVAH God, it takes on an added mysticism that is obvious from the scriptures.

When verbal forms are translated as nouns, the word sometimes means "habitat."

Grammatically (in Hebrew), when verbal forms are translated as nouns, they are called "substantives."

Technically, therefore, "Shekinah" is a substantive rather than a noun.

Some people object that the word "Shekinah," (shknh), is not to be found in the Old Testament in its noun form, and that it describes a concept that is not scriptural.

It is also claimed that the word was coined by Post-Biblical Rabbinic scholars.

While it is admitted that the Rabbinic concept of YEHOVAH God being some sort of hovering non-personal force is an unacceptable extension of the meaning, the CONCEPT OF A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION of YEHOVAH God's localized dwelling on this planet IS, nonetheless, scriptural.

I have chosen to use the word "Shekinah" (shknh) to name this "presence" and to better develop a concept I will get to later on in the article.

Also, this meaning is in general use among many Christians -- even though they are generally ignorant of the origin of the word.

In the Encyclopedia Judaica the "Shekinah" is defined as "the Divine Presence, the numinous immanence of God in the world,...a revelation of the holy in the midst of the profane...." (Volume 14, pp.

1349-1351).

The Encyclopedia goes on to say --

"One of the more prominent images associated with the Shekhinah is that of light.

Thus on the verse, '...the earth did shine with His glory' (), the rabbis remark, 'This is the face of the Shekhinah' (Avot diRabbi Natan [18b-19a]; see also Chullin 59b-60a).

Both the angels in heaven and the righteous in olam ha-ba ('the world to come') are SUSTAINED BY THE RADIANCE OF THE SHEKINAH (Exodus Rabbah 32:4, B'rakhot 17a; cf.

)....

"According to Saadiah Gaon [882-942 C.E.], the Shekhinah is identical with kevod ha-Shem (the glory of God"), which served as an INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN during the prophetic experience.

He suggests that the "glory of God" is the Biblical term, and Shekhinah the Talmudic term for the created splendor of light which ACTS AS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, and which sometimes TAKES ON HUMAN FORM.

Thus when Moses asked to see the glory of God, HE WAS SHOWN THE SHEKHINAH, and when the prophets in their visions saw God in HUMAN LIKENESS, what they actually saw WAS NOT GOD HIMSELF BUT THE SHEKHINAH (see Saadiah's interpretation of , , and in Book of Beliefs and Opinions 2:10)."

Throughout the Bible YEHOVAH God speaks of His desire for an intimate relationship with His people.

The "Shekinah," therefore, refers to the presence of YEHOVAH that was -- but is not now -- physically manifested in the time-space continuum.

It could be seen.

The presence was A VEHICLE OF THE PERSON OF YEHOVAH GOD IN THE THREE DIMENSIONAL WORLD.

Solomon's understanding that YEHOVAH cannot actually be limited to Temples on earth because of His eternal nature can be seen in --

"But will God really dwell [yashav"] on earth?

Even the heavens to their utmost reaches cannot contain You, how much less this House [Temple] that I have built!"

This omniscient, eternal presence of YEHOVAH (that Solomon recognized) is the HEAVENLY, but not the earthly, "Shekinah."

Even though the INFINITE spiritual presence is, and was, COINCIDENTAL with the PHYSICALLY DISCERNIBLE "SHEKINAH" -- it was DISTINGUISHED from the physical even in Mosaic times.

Right now the "Shekinah" is only manifested in the infinite way, but in the near future it will be manifested in the PHYSICAL FORM once again when IT RETURNS TO THIS EARTH to reside in the new Temple in Jerusalem!

During the time of Moses the added PHYSICAL "Shekinah" presence was evidence of the REAL which is omnipresent and unseen.

During the Mosaic dispensation the "Shekinah" was physically disturbing.

The presence was NOT YEHOVAH (YHVH) -- it was a PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION of the actual presence of YEHOVAH among His people.

Be aware that it is to be distinguished from the "angel of the LORD."

The "Shekinah" was first evident when the Israelites set out from Succoth in their escape from Egypt.

There it appeared as a cloudy pillar in the day and a fiery pillar by night -- note :

"They set out from Succoth, and encamped at Ethan, at the edge of the wilderness.

The LORD [YEHOVAH, YHVH] went before them in a PILLAR OF CLOUD by day, to guide them along the way, and in a PILLAR OF FIRE by night, to give them light that they might travel day and night.

The PILLAR OF CLOUD by day and the PILLAR OF FIRE by night did not depart from before the people."

The physical "Shekinah" was also evident at the crossing of the Red Sea --

"At the morning watch, the LORD [YEHOVAH, YHVH] looked down upon the Egyptian army from a PILLAR OF FIRE AND CLOUD, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.

He locked the wheels of their chariots so that they moved forward with difficulty.

And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD [YEHOVAH] is fighting for them against Egypt" ().

The Israelites were led by the "Shekinah" for forty years, after which the "holy presence" of the omniscient God inhabited the Tabernacle and the land of Israel.

The "Shekinah" was not always afterwards physically manifested -- as we read in --

"You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I Myself abide ['shakan'], for I the LORD [YEHOVAH] abide ['shakan'] among the Israelite people."

When Moses and the Israelites finished erecting the Tabernacle, the "Shekinah" of YEHOVAH God filled it:

"When Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the PRESENCE OF THE LORD [YEHOVAH] filled the Tabernacle.

Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the PRESENCE OF THE LORD filled the Tabernacle.

When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift.

For over the Tabernacle a cloud of the LORD rested by day, and the fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys" ().

Whenever that presence was physically manifested, it was frightening to those who experienced it:

"When Moses had ascended the mountain, the cloud covered the mountain.

The PRESENCE OF THE LORD ['Cavod YHVH'] abode ['shakan'] on Mount Sinai, and the cloud hid it for six days.

On the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.

Now the PRESENCE OF THE LORD ['Cavod YHVH'] appeared in the sight of the Israelites as a consuming fire on the top of the mountain" ().

Writes Fred P. Miller: "Earlier, the seventy elders had gone up into the cloud and actually saw the "Shekinah" glory, and they were so afraid they asked Moses never to take them again.

As far as they were concerned, they saw God!

You can only imagine their hair on end and their wide-eyed appearance as they came down from the mountain exclaiming 'We saw God!

It was terrible!'"

(Zechariah and Jewish Renewal).

A few days earlier, when the Ten Commandments were given, the appearance of the physical presence of YEHOVAH God on Mount Sinai is described as fire and cloud and thick darkness.

The Psalms contain a description of this event calling it a "Shekinah" presence --

"Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?

This is the mountain [Sinai] which God desires to dwell ['shakan'] in; yes, the LORD [YEHOVAH] will dwell in it forever.

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.

You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive; you have received gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD GOD might dwell ['shakan'] there" ().

Later, as we have seen, the physical "Shekinah" presence of YEHOVAH God took up residence in the newly completed Tabernacle and was apparent to the whole nation of Israel.

There are a number of other occasions when the direct intervention of YEHOVAH God was manifest in a "Shekinah" presence to Moses.

At the time of the setting up of the Tabernacle (before it was finished) YEHOVAH spoke to Moses out of the cloud and Moses realized the "Shekinah" was a VEHICLE and NOT YEHOVAH God.

As we see in , Moses asked for more -- to actually "see" YEHOVAH God -- and YEHOVAH allowed him to see A LARGER PORTION of His PHYSICAL "Shekinah" presence.

Notice --

"And the LORD [YEHOVAH] said to Moses, 'I will also do this thing that you have asked; for you have truly gained My favor and I have singled you out by name.'

He [Moses] said, 'Oh, let me behold Your Presence!' [He was speaking to Yehovah's voice coming from the 'Shekinah.']

And He [YEHOVAH] answered, 'I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name LORD [YEHOVAH, YHVH], and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show.

But,' He said, 'you cannot see My face, for men may not see Me and live.'"

After Israel entered the Promised Land, YEHOVAH's presence was manifested spiritually in the Tabernacle -- but not often in a physical manner.

YEHOVAH's actual presence was always accepted by the Israelites as being in the Tabernacle (and later in the Temple), but was not always physically confirmed by the visible "Shekinah."

However, there were occasional renewals of miraculous appearances of the "Shekinah" -- such as when the Temple of Solomon was dedicated.

There was an initial appearance in a vision when the LORD (YEHOVAH) promised that He would "shakan" or dwell in the house that Solomon was building.

Notice :

"Then the word of the LORD [YEHOVAH] came to Solomon, 'With regard to this House [Temple] you are building -- if you follow My laws and observe My rules and faithfully keep My commandments, I will fulfill for you the promise that I gave to your father David: I will abide ['shakan'] among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.'"